Book 1. Chapter 26: Training and Spell-Rods

Book 1. Chapter 26: Training and Spell-Rods

Jake blocked Ophelias spear which was held in a two-handed grip with his shield, countering with a thrust of his own spear. But Ophelias body was both faster than his and filled with mana, allowing it to move fast enough to dodge his thrust. She harried him with speedy thrusts of her own, which he did his best to deflect while countering. They would often practice with one using the spear two-handed and the other with a shield, as both of them having a shield made for quite the boring fight with little to be learned.

Jake tried to circulate the mana within him similarly to how he saw her with [Arcane Eye], but had extreme difficulty replicating it. Jake had been trying to reach [Advanced Melee Specialization], but was having a hard time moving his mana like her to achieve positive results. Eventually, he was punished for his distraction by Ophelia soaring over his shield with [Charge], and the butt of her spear smacking him in the side of the helmet.

He got knocked to the side, and she got within his guard and had the spear at his throat. You got a little too distracted. Well take a break.

Ophelias spear disappeared into her storage bracelet, and she took out two water bottles and threw one to Jake. He quickly stored his spear and shield and caught it. Jake sighed, It really looks like the Framework wont assist me with this, I would have to learn this mana empowerment of my muscles on my own. Im not sure how long it would take, but I think we are talking months rather than weeks.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

Ophelia cozied up to Jakes side and wrapped her wing around him, like she often did and Jake put his arm around her waist as they sat down on a bench in their training area. Ever since the duel was declared and a little before it, they had many moments like this. Ophelia was strictly business during training, but any downtime was spent similarly.

She said, Mana does help make my movements and my attacks stronger, but it is in fact marginal. Plus, it costs mana, a limited resource. With your specialty being spellcasting and support, perhaps its not a requirement. Id like you to have the ability in case you need it, but with the magic focus in your spear, Im not sure its necessary. I think well go crazy if we are stuck being here and just in the dungeon for much longer.

Jake had to agree. They were dying to go out and explore the multiverse. The dungeons had become trivial for them with their new equipment and skills, and while they still got slightly better with training, without the Frameworks assistance it made it a struggle to get better.

They were now back to how regular people trained, where some habits could make them take steps back for each step forward. Jake could tell it was entirely possible for them to still increase their skills, but it would take them an enormous amount of time and effort, as the Framework would not assist them in order to do so.

At the very least, they each had their tradeskills to advance. Ophelia had taken to Smithing, just like Fhesiah had Alchemy, and Jake Enchanting. Each was advancing, but it appeared it was a challenge, not having access to higher Tier resources to advance. Jake was lucky for his enchanting, that runic enchantment didnt appear to require this.

Jake pulled out one of his new spell rods from his storage bracelet. At least we get to test this out today, it should be interesting.

Ophelia looked at the rod with interest. It was nothing more than a steel cylinder with a magic focus at the tip. But it had twelve runes going up the side. Unlike his staff which had two functions, this was a single function, all devoted into casting an empowered version of an offensive spell.

Fhesiah chimed in, I thought I told you Jake: I like your other rod plenty. You have no reason to compensate, you know.

Jake hoped that this spell would work. He thought it would, as he had already found that his functions allowed him to cheat and make larger spells than his twelve runeword limit. But this would push the limit of his cheating, being his first twenty-four runeword spell. It had taken a lot of research for him to come up with the spell at all, and while he had some options he could play with on the fly if it didnt work, he was afraid to cast them here in the [Refuge] and wanted to use it against a viable target.

Jake spent some more time with Ophelia during their break. Their relationship had moved towards what Jake would call horny teenagers. When they werent training, Ophelia was often by his side, holding his hand or cozying up to him. She would often wrap her soft wing around him in a side hug, and Jake loved the feel of it. Sometimes, they would even kiss and make out a bit, if their moods called for it. The demoness would make herself scarce when this happened, and Jake was surprised at how she set them up or otherwise facilitated them to have time alone together.

On the other hand, Fhesiah was completely content with all affection to be in the bedroom, outside of the valkyries vision. Perhaps, she had an inkling that it was not something Ophelia wanted to see, but Jake couldnt be sure.

[That thought is only partially right, Jake. Once you get my motor going, I just dont want to stop is all. If we went to the bedroom each time you kissed or hugged me and sent those wonderful feelings over our bond, wed hardly have much time for anything else.]

Jake rolled his eyes at this. Just what strange things did she do to her body?

[Fun stuff, but theyre only for you. Only you or your other wives will be able to get my motor going, I promise.]

They wrapped up their training for the day and headed into the dungeon, where they had cleared most of the way to the boss.

Fhesiah responded to Jakes thoughts, Thats not all there is to fire, Jake. A fire can consume fuel and destroy, but it can even create. You can cook a meal for us with fire, and that same fire can keep a family warm in a winter, protecting them from death by the cold. You can cauterize a bleeding wound, allowing fire to heal. A star burns brightly in the sky for millions of years, granting the possibility of life across the cosmos. My dragon flames carry the spark of creation, destroying or creating life as I see fit.

Conversely, Fhesiahs understanding of fire would be more rooted in the essence of it. She would then incorporate what she believed to be the essence of fire into her being, her Path, and when she activated the rune using Qi even if it was Jake that enchanted it: that is what the demonic rune would manifest into the world.

Jake found that he could even combine the two approaches to himself somewhat, though the effect on the mana-infused demonic runes appeared to be marginal. He would need to spend a lot more time studying Fhesiahs Path, and knew that this was important. Her Path was important to her, and thus Jake would make it important to him.

The limitations would force Fhesiah primarily to runes related to fire, and creating sort of functions like Jake had would be a real challenge for her, as when she used heavenly energy, she found that her requirements for understanding in order to use a rune was even greater than Jakes. She likely would never be able to use a rune not related to the dao incorporated into her being, her essence, but that didnt mean she was giving up. Perhaps this restriction would be lowered as she mastered [Runic Magic], or her mastery of the Dao reached a higher level, allowing her to use demonic runes not directly related to her dragon fire.

For now, Fhesiah found that when she made a ball of fire with her demonic runes, the power was higher and cost in heavenly energy was lower, allowing for greater efficiency than if she had just otherwise created it on her own. It was just a small benefit, but it was well worth the effort. This also got around the problems of Nordic Runes that Hestia alluded to for Jake, and he had plans for creating spell-rods and an alternate set of equipment that included these demonic runes once he had a high enough understanding of them to accomplish similar goals.

Jake finished his enchanting work for the day, and he headed over to Ophelias smithy. She had been doing what she could to raise her skill, as he tried to raise his Enchanting. They found that her tradeskill was a lot more time-consuming, requiring much more practice. Similar to how Purifying Flames had difficulty raising to level 5 due to not having access to higher tier materials, she was similarly limited. Not having access to Tier 1 metals was making it very challenging to raise the skill.

Tier 0 metals simply didnt have mana in them. She tried infusing mana into them, but the Framework simply wouldnt assist her in this. Just like mana usage in Advanced Melee Specialization for Jake, the Framework would not assist her in utilizing this in her crafting. If they had spent a year, perhaps she could have learned it on their own, as if they were living in a non-Framework world. Jake assumed after they passed the Trial and became Tier 1, the skill would advance much easier with supernatural metals and materials, and then she could enhance even steel in amazing ways.

When Jake entered the smithy, Ophelia was polishing a gauntlet. It had wicked claws, and Jake thought it looked like a replacement for Fhesiah. Unfortunately, he knew how she felt about this.

Ophelia gave a sad frown, I know she wont wear it, but I thought I should try making all sorts of items, hoping that would help the skill advance. Ive tried runic fire, pushing tons of mana into the items, and if anything it makes them weaker as a result. Its tough. She frowned, I knew my dad used magic in smithing, but he didnt really explain how to me. I had tried, but I wasnt ready to learn magic at that age, my soul was too small and weak to really utilize or store mana at the time.

Jake knew this to be true, from his enchanting. Finding the right amount of mana to infuse the item with to improve the integrity of it was likely a skill of the next tier. Of course, doing this while forging should be different than doing it after the item was already completed like with his Enchanting, so the two skills would be different, but he thought the challenges were likely similar. He was interested to learn a small tidbit about how children wouldnt be able to learn magic until they were much older.

Jake came around her workbench and hugged her from the side which she returned with a hug of her wing, as he inspected the item. It looked very well made, and looking, he saw her skill to be at level 4. Most likely, she had already surpassed nearly every smith on Earth, and in only a few weeks time. She could craft certain items in minutes, and her smithy was full of cabinets with different tools used to make her items.

Im sure hed be very proud of how far youve come. Both as a smith, and as a warrior. Youre an amazing woman.

Ophelia blushed, and she looked at him in question. You seem to be in a good mood, what is it?

Jake smiled at her. I wanted to ask my beautiful battle angel on a date for tomorrow. I want to spend the whole day together. Well still train in the morning, but rather than the dungeon, well go on a date instead. How about it?

Oh! That sounds wonderful. Ive always wanted to go on a dateWait, can we really go on one?

Ive always wanted to go on one too. Itll be my first as well, technically. As far as if we can go on one, I think I have come up with something exciting enough, even if we cant leave our Refuge. How about it?

Ophelia used the clean spellform on her face, which was covered in soot before kissing him. Its a date! Oh, I cant wait!

Great, me neither. Im going to set things up, so just keep away from the Menu unless you want to spoil it.

She nodded, but she showed a happy smile. She looked at the gauntlet she had previously been working on, and to Jake it felt like she could hardly think about what she was doing before he entered. Her wings flapped in anticipation, and Jake smiled at this. Of course, Jake was excited too. He left the smithy. He had a lot to prepare for their date.